Pride of the King's Navy
by WithinUtopia
Summary: On the final trip from Isla de Muerta to Port Royal, Elizabeth can't find peace with what is considered to be justice. Oneshot with thoughts of what is right and what is wrong, of justice and sin.


Disclaimer; Not mine. But a girl can dream, right?

Author's Note;Yes, I admit... I'm practially a fanfic virgin. So go easy on me. Constructive critism is very much appreciated though. And praise. And flames. Oh, what the hell, just review and I'll be a happy gal.

Author's Note 2; I wrote this for a fanfiction challenge about "Seven Deadly Sins".

**The Pride** **of** **the** **King's** **Navy**  
_"Sceles alienorum sunt in oculis nostri, nostri suum ne sunt evidens"_

_'This is wrong'_

She stood by the railing of the Dauntless, gazing to the misty horizon that was barely visible through the dark of the night. The events of the day before seemed to be years ago now. The fight in the caves of Isla de Muerta, breaking the curse… all of it seemed to be no more than a distant dream. Yet its consequences were undoubted. It was not as she had imagined it. In her dreams she would never been engaged to a man she did not love. Will Turner would not be less than an acquaintance. And that Jack Sparrow… _Captain Jack Sparrow_, she found herself urged to acknowledge his title - Captain Jack Sparrow would not be in the brig, awaiting his condemnation.

_'Why is this so wrong?'  
_  
As a child she had admired pirates. But in her days of adolescence, she had come to understand how all men were bound by the law. And she had seen other men hang. Why would her soul give her no rest about this particular scoundrel? She needed answers, and there was only one man to turn to, to find them.

She quietly descended the steps to the brig, granting the sleeping pirates in the one cell a short glance before continuing her way to the other. Jack was slouched against the back of the cell, but the second she arrived he looked up and gave her an approving grin. It was like he knew she was coming, she realized, and the thought of that was both comforting as well as uncanny.

"Ah, miss Swann." He straightened his back and leaned forward, "What can I do for you?"

His cheerful tone made her heart sink in her chest. "It's Elizabeth." She said softly, to which he agreed with a approving nod, for once sparing her from an ironic glance or mockery. She kneeled down in front of the cell so that she was on his eyelevel. Tears were stinging in her eyes, but she did not know what to say.

"Now, now, there's no need for tears and tantrums just yet, luv." Jack moved forward and crouched by her. "The world's not ending."

"Why?" She spoke up, the pirate's optimism cracking her own resistance. Her voice was thick with regret, confusion and anger. "You saved my life. You didn't do any harm to anyone but Barbossa. You fought bravely on _our _side! How can they judge you like they'll judge them?" She nodded towards the sleeping pirates in the other cell.

"We're all pirates." Jack replied simply.

She snorted unladylike. "That's what James said."

He chuckled, "If you're going to marry the blighter you might want to start agreeing with him then, ey?"

She shot him a glare, but to her surprise there was not a shimmer of amusement in Jacks eyes. She sighed, and her shoulders dropped. "It's unfair. How can anyone decide over another man's fate?" She looked down, flustered, "How can _they_ decide what's right and wrong?"

"It's easy to condemn an other man, luv."

His serious tone made her look up again. It was easy to talk to Jack when he was being the drunkard, or the fool, or the rogue. It was harder when he was actually straight with her.

He leaned forward again, their eyes meeting, gazes locked. "Other men's sins are before our eyes. Our own are behind our backs."

"W-what?" Elizabeth looked at him, bewildered.

He sighed, though it wasn't an impatient sigh. "Somebody needs to be blamed, luv. Someone has to hang. And it's bloody easy to label the sinner." He tapped on her right forearm, where she knew the 'P' brand was pale in contrast to his darker skin.

"And their own sins?" She questioned.

He gave her a cryptical grin, gold teeth reflecting in the moonlight. "What sins?"

When she returned updecks, she found James standing alone by the railing. His hands were resting on the wood, and as she approached he turned his gaze. For a moment she spotted true regret in his eyes. But she knew he wouldn't grant the pirate his freedom. He was bound... but not only by the law.

_'It's not his deeds that will condemn him,' _She thought bitterly, '_it's your Pride'_

She gave him a short nod, and retreated to her cabin.


End file.
